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Full Independence Party slate set for November elections

For the first time since the 2006 election, the Independence Party of Minnesota will have a slate of candidates for all major statewide offices on the ballot in November.

Delegates decided which candidates to endorse Saturday at the party's state convention in Mankato.

With no candidate for governor at the outset, U.S. Senate hopeful Hannah Nicollet, made a last minute decision to change course.

"We anticipated we were going to have a Senate endorsement battle, but Hannah Nicollet recognizing that we did not have a candidate who was up for endorsement for governor talked to her family, talked to advisors and came to the leadership before the endorsement started and asked if she could seek the endorsement for governor," said party chair Mark Jenkins.

Nicollet backed libertarian former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul for President in 2012. She saidshe still supports the majority of that party's fiscally conservative, socially liberal platform.

Nicollet has yet to pick a lieutenant governor candidate.

The party of former Gov. Jesse Ventura has no members in elective office.